The area surrounding Mitcham road between Croydon and Mitcham Common is a quiet residential space typical of the Croydon borough. Terraced and semi- detached homes line the avenues and crescents of Broad Green and Waddon suburbs. Wandle Park, just west of Croydon is a serene green space with play areas, a community garden, skate park, the river Wandle and a café. Following the A236 north-east, one passes through Mitcham Common, a vast public open space with a pub and a golf course, on the way to Mitcham. Just below is the Archbishop Lanfranc mixed secondary school, notable for its many famous alumni in sports and the arts. Though it has gone through a shaky period, the recent makeover for the school has gained it a ‘good’ Ofsted review and its cultural and ethnic richness reflects that of the area.

The area bore a starkly different image up until the turn of the previous century. Historically, the area had been dotted by a number of elaborate mansions such as Broad Green House, built in 1807, or Croydon Lodge which was around until the 1920s. It would be difficult to imagine Zodiac House, a 1960s concrete tower block, preceded by an impressive Georgian-era estate over one hundred years before that. As living standards began to rise by the early decades of the 20th century, the area was becoming a home to the newly emerging lower middle classes. But, perhaps due to the pull of Croydon nearby, along with lukewarm council efforts to renovate the ageing housing, the area did not blossom. It has been the centre of attention for regeneration proposals, having experienced a prolonged period of stagnant development.

Sumner Road, the location of the Parish of Christ Church, takes its name from John Sumner, the Archbishop of Canterbury in the 1850s, whose financial aid allowed for the construction of the church. On the other side of the neighbourhood, the Archbishop Lanfranc school has produced talent such as the rapper Fuse ODG or Carmaine Walker who played for the England woman’s national football team.

Peep Show enthusiasts will be thrilled to pay a visit to the aforementioned Zodiac House on Chatfield Road, where the socially awkward characters of the comic duo, Mitchell and Webb, reside and bear the daily grind of Croydon life.

The area’s image took a battering during the 2011 London riots, when the Royal Mansions along London Road were reduced to rubble. Business was adversely impacted and reparation of the damage took a significant amount of time. A tense atmosphere had been building up, as the area’s urban development had been neglected for too long. In the aftermath of the riots, some believed that the response was disorientated and the funding slow to seep through.

Croydon has seen a large amout of development coinciding with its crowning as London Borough of Culture 2023. As recently as 2020, planning consent was granted for a total 11,354 sq.m redevelopment of Purley town centre. The Proctor and Matthews-led masterplan will consist of a host of new community, civic and religious space, as well as cafes, retail and education facilities. There will also be a 500 seater auditorium and 220 new homes built, hoping to house 600 new residents.